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FERRANDUS a Deacon. * 1.1
FErrandus Deacon of the Church of Carthage, surnam'd Fulgentius, the Friend and Contempo∣rary of St. Fulgentius, composed some Books.
The most considerable is a Collection of the Canons of Councils, for restoring Discipline in the Church of Afric. 'Tis something probable that he compos'd it, when the Catholick Bishops were call'd back by King Hildericus. However this be, it is one of the first and most ancient Collecti∣ons of Canons among the Latins. It is made up of 232 Canons, which are not related at their full length, but only by way of Extract and Compend. They are taken from the Councils of Afric, or from those of Ancyra, of Laodicea, of Nice, of Antioch, of Gangra, and Sardica.
We have already spoken of two Letters of this Deacon written to St. Fulgentius, wherein he proposes to him the Questions which this St. resolves. We have also observ'd, that St. Fulgentius dying before he answer'd the second of the two Questions which Count Reginus propos'd to him, Ferrandus was charg'd with writing an Answer to him. Reginus ask'd in the second Question, After what manner a Captain should behave himself to live Christianly. Ferrandus gave him seven Rules about it, which he thought sufficient to make a Souldier a Spiritual Man and a good Christian. The first is to acknowledge the Grace of Jesus Christ as necessary to every action. The second is to make his Life serve for an Example to his Soldiers. The third is, not to wish for Command, but that he may do good. The fourth, to love the Commonwealth as himself. The fifth, to prefer things Spiritual and Divine to things Earthly. The sixth, not to exercise Justice with too great ri∣gor and severity. The seventh, to remember that he is a Christian. These seven Rules he ex∣plains at great length. This Treatise may be very useful and instructive to Men of Arms. It was written a little while after the death of St. Fulgentius.
The Letters of Ferrandus to Scholasticus Severus, and Anatolius Deacon of the Roman Church, are both written upon the same Subject. There he defends that Proposition which made so great a noise in the East, A, or One Person of the Trinity did suffer. The principal Reason on which he grounds it, is, That it is undeniable that Jesus Christ was A, or One Person of the Trinity, and that he suffer'd; and therefore it may be said, that One of the Persons of the Trinity suffer'd; that 'tis good nevertheless to add, that he suffer'd in the Flesh which he took. He thinks also that it may be said, using this Precaution, that the Divinity suffer'd.
He wrote a great Letter to Eugippius about the Trinity, but there is nothing remaining of it ex∣cept the beginning.
Ferrandus was one of the first who declar'd in Writing against the Condemnation of the three Chapters, and particularly against the Condemnation of the Letter of Ibas. Being consulted upon this Subject by Pelagius, and Anatolius a Deacon of Rome, he answer'd them that he did not agree to the Condemnation of the Letter of Ibas, which was approv'd in the Council of Chalcedon; that this was to impeach the Authority of this Council; that if what had been there done was thus re∣peal'd, it was to be fear'd, the like might be done to the Decisions of the Council of Nice: That General Councils, and chiefly those which the Roman Church approv'd, had an Authority next to that of the Canonical Books; Secundae autoritatis locum post Canonicos libros tenent; and that we are no less oblig'd to obey them then to believe the Holy Scripture. In short, that we ought not to con∣demn those Persons who died in the Communion of the Church; and that as we cannot absolve those who died under Excommunication, so neither can we Excommunicate those who are dead: That it may be lawful for particular Persons to say and write their Judgment, but they ought not to oblige others to subscribe to it, not to embrace it with a blind submission, since this is a Priviledge peculiar to the Canonical Books and the Decisions of General Councils.
The Life of St. Fulgentius is also attributed to Ferrandus, which was certainly written by an Au∣thor cotemporary, and a Disciple of this Saint. It is like enough to his Style, and is found in the Manuscript joyn'd with the Works of Ferrandus: Yet it seems to be written by one who had been a longer time, and liv'd more constantly with Fulgentius then the Deacon Ferrandus. There has been printed under the Name of Ferrandus a Letter address'd to St. Anselm; but the distance of time be∣tween the one and the other, sufficiently discovers the falshood of it. The three first Books of Vigi∣lius of Tapsa have been also attributed to him, but against all reason.
The Style of this Author is simple enough and clear; his Phrases are not long but they are full of Quibbles and continued Allusion. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Achilles Tutius was the first who publish'd a part of Ferrandus's Works in 1518. Mr. Pitheus has since publish'd the Collection of Canons, and F. Sirmondus the two Letters to Fulgentius. The Life of this Saint is in Bollandus. In fine, F. Chiffletius has collected, review'd and publish'd all the Tracts of Ferrandus the Deacon which were printed at Dijon in quarto, in 1649. His Edition was follow'd in the last Bibliotheque of the Fathers.